“When I was growing up in Mississippi - it was good Southern food... but I also grew up with a Greek family when other kids were eating fried okra, we were eating steamed artichokes. So I think it played a big part in my healthy cooking.”

“While it is true that we must seek value added industries like food processing plants and call center operations, we must do what is necessary to expand and develop our economic profile.”

“Italian food is all about ingredients and it's not fussy and it's not fancy.”

“Your words are my food, your breath my wine. You are everything to me.”

“Somewhere between 50 to 60 percent of the food you eat has been touched by immigrant hands, and it is fair to say some of them are not here as they should be here. But if you didn't have these folks, you would be spending a lot more - three, four or five times more - for food, or we would have to import food and have all the food security risks.”

“It is the food which you furnish to your mind that determines the whole character of your life.”

“Vegetarians are cool. All I eat are vegetarians - except for the occasional mountain lion steak.”

“My girlfriend Siri is a food blogger, and we both love to entertain and eat. This is what happens when you're in your thirties: what was once a passion and real appetite for nightlife in New York City manifests itself into other things, like entertaining at home.”

“Long as I was riding in a big Cadillac and dressed nice and had plenty of food, that's all I cared about.”